Many companies are starting to take mobile commerce, better known as mcommerce, more seriously as a viable revenue stream. As mobile devices and applications continue to increase in functionality, the use of these gadgets as a way to make money is becoming a crucial tool.

According to the most recent numbers from Nielsen, seven of the top 15 major applications experiencing the fastest growing usage among Android users in the U.K. are commerce apps. The definition of these types of applications includes any in which digital products, retail items and experiences can be purchased.

A recent article in Mobile Commerce News dissected the study.

"There are certain functions of mcommerce apps that are most popular among users, as well," read the piece. "For instance, even when consumers aren't actually making purchases through mcommerce apps, they may also be using them to find the nearest store locations, to be alerted about discounts and sales, and to gain product information. These can lead to a sale, even when the item is not actually being purchased over the app itself."

The apps did not rake in long average usage times. Coin Dozer, a popular game, was the top with 166.30 minutes. That fact may not be a bad thing as they are designed to be easy and quick to use. The Amazon AppStore, which was the top of the list with a 7.6 times growth in total time spent, only had a 15.24 minutes per use average.

The mobile commerce revolution is here to stay. Whether merchants focus on creating a user friendly mobile application or a tablet POS system, the use of these devices in retail is something business owners need to be aware of.